Explanation
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this ordinance is to authorize the City Auditor to establish a new subfund within the City’s Special Purpose Fund to account for private boat dock permit fees and fees collected from reservoir contiguous landowners and others for tree damage assessments, utility easement fees, general restoration donations, and settlements from encroachment related issues, among other fees collected by the Department of Public Utilities Watershed Management Section.
All monies received from these activities will be used for the administration, implementation, or enforcement of the Land Stewardship Program, or water quality and water supply best management practices designed for the protection, restoration, expansion, and enhancement of the City reservoir properties including, but not limited to, the purchase of trees, wildflowers, shrubs, evaluation of forest and wetlands, educational signage, program equipment and materials, landscaping services, property, easements, and legal & related service fees. In order to properly track and account for these monies, we are requesting that the City Auditor create a new subfund, which will be known as the DPU Land Stewardship Fund, within the City's Special Purpose Fund, Fund No. 2223.
FISCAL IMPACT: The Department of Public Utilities plans to collect private boat dock permit fees from contiguous landowners living along the reservoir beginning in 2021. This new subfund will also be used to collect fees from contiguous landowners and others for tree damage assessments, utility easement fees, general restoration donations, and settlements from encroachment related issues, among other fees collected by the Department of Public Utilities Watershed Management Section. Utilizing the City’s Special Purpose Fund provides the best means for properly tracking and accounting for these monies.
At the writing of this ordinance, there is $91,936.50 of unencumbered cash within Fund 2223, Subfund 222311 (fund balance of $131,936.50 minus $40,000.00 appropriated for 2020 expenditures per Ord. 1901-2020). This ordinance will authorize the City Auditor to transfer the available unencumbered cash balance of $91,936.50 from Fund 2223, Subfund 222311 to the newly created DPU Land Stewardship Fund and appropriate those monies to the Division of Water to be used for the administration, implementation, or enforcement of the Land Stewardship Program, or water quality and water supply best management practices designed for the protection, restoration, expansion, and enhancement of the City reservoir properties including, but not limited to, the purchase of trees, wildflowers, shrubs, evaluation of forest and wetlands, educational signage, program equipment and materials, landscaping services, property, easements, and legal & related service fees.
Title
To authorize the City Auditor to establish a new subfund within the City’s Special Purpose Fund to account for private boat dock permit fees and fees collected from reservoir contiguous landowners and others for tree damage assessments, utility easement fees, general restoration donations, and settlements from encroachment related issues, among other fees collected by the Department of Public Utilities Watershed Management Section; and to authorize the transfer of $91,936.50 from Fund 2223, Subfund 222311 to the new subfund, which will be known as the DPU Land Stewardship Fund. ($91,936.50)
Body
WHEREAS, there is a need to create a new subfund within the City's Special Purpose Fund to account for private boat dock permit fees and fees collected from contiguous landowners and others for tree damage assessments, utility easement fees, general restoration donations, and settlements from encroachment related issues, among other fees collected by the Department of Public Utilities Watershed Management Section; and
WHEREAS, all monies received from these activities will be used for the administration, implementation, or enforcement of the Land Stewardship Program, or water quality and water supply best management practices designed for the protection, restoration, expansion, and enhancement of the City reservoir properties including, but not limited to, the purchase of trees, wildflowers, shrubs, evaluation of forest and wetlands, educational signage, program equipment and materials, landscaping services, property, easements, and legal & related service fees; and
WHEREAS, in order to properly account for these revenues and expenses, it is necessary for the City Auditor to create a new subfund, which will be known as the DPU Land Stewardship Fund, within the City’s Special Purpose Fund; and
WHEREAS, the available balance in the existing Fund 2223, Subfund 222311 will be transferred to this new subfund and all monies formerly collected by Fund 2223, Subfund 222311 will now be collected by this new subfund, the DPU Land Stewardship Fund; and
WHEREAS, it has become necessary in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Utilities to authorize the City Auditor to create a new subfund within the City’s Special Purpose Fund to account for private boat dock permit fees and fees collected from contiguous landowners and others for tree damage assessments, utility easement fees, general restoration donations, and settlements from encroachment related issues, among other fees collected by the Department of Public Utilities Watershed Management Section; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to establish a subfund within the City’s Special Purpose Fund, Fund No. 2223, titled DPU Land Stewardship Fund, in order to properly track and account for private boat dock permit fees and fees collected from contiguous landowners and others for tree damage assessments, utility easement fees, general restoration donations, and settlements from encroachment related issues, among other fees collected by the Department of Public Utilities Watershed Management Section.
SECTION 2. That all revenues arising from private boat dock permit fees and fees collected from contiguous landowners and others for tree damage assessments, utility easement fees, general restoration donations, and settlements from encroachment related issues, among other fees collected by the Department of Public Utilities Watershed Management Section shall be deposited into said subfund within the Special Purpose Fund, Fund No. 2223.
SECTION 3. That the transfer of $91,936.50 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized from Fund 2223 (City Special Purpose Fund), Subfund 222311 (Waterways Nature Preservation Fund), Division 6009 (Division of Water) to Fund 2223 (City Special Purpose Fund), Subfund TBD (DPU Land Stewardship Fund), Division 6009 (Division of Water) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That all funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this subfund are hereby deemed appropriated in an amount not to exceed the cash in this subfund.
SECTION 5. That the monies appropriated in this subfund shall be paid upon order of the Director of Public Utilities, and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except by voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 6. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 7. That this Ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.